


Universe Leapfrog, an Infinitely Incomplete Anthology of the Adventures of Silverbark Harley the Worldwalker and Her Trusty Sidekick, Davepetasprite

by yaldabaoth_the_demiurge



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blind Sollux Captor, Gen, SM64 - Watch for Rolling Rocks - 0.5x A Presses (Commentated), a fic of a fic, aradia says fuck cops, dropping all pretense here, fraymotif naming is fun, it's really gonna be a homestuck flavored doctor who, the homestuck gods bless me this day, unintentional deadnaming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2020-11-27 09:43:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20946290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaldabaoth_the_demiurge/pseuds/yaldabaoth_the_demiurge
Summary: After going back in canon to defeat Lord English, Jade and Davepeta need a way back to Earth C. They take the scenic route.





	1. Not Quite the End, but Also Not Quite the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [godfeels 2, part 3: a good plan](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20777969) by [SarahZedig](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahZedig/pseuds/SarahZedig). 

> Thank you to Sarah, who caused the events necessary for this fic to exist.
> 
> I would have given up on being creative a long time ago if it weren't for your work.
> 
> It really seems like I'm starting at the middle of a larger work, and that's because I am. Godfeels 2 part 3: a good plan establishes where this fic would start and would end.

Jade:  oh jeez we really are just like RIGHT there huh  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < what are you talking about we have to go now  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < oh  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < jade? you're uh, hyperventilating  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < you okay there? is everythin  
Jade:  yeah no davepeta!!!! everything is hunky dory!!!!! it's not like we don't have just the one chance to do it right or anything yep no

When did your blood get so cold? You know that June needs you now, right? No matter how much air you suck in, it seems like it's not enough. You thought yourself over this. Just. C'mon. You're Silverbark! The Worldwalker! Doesn't that mean anything to you? What happened to the badass entrance you were gonna have? Rocketing in, surprising everyone right at the last second? Ring any bells? Where's that Harley adventurer's spirit when you need it? Wait. No. It's okay to be afraid here. Anyone would be. June would be, definitely. You'll permit it to pass over you and through you. Breathe, Silverbark. In through the nose, seven seconds. Out through the mouth in three. You close your eyes. June needs you now, but you need you now too. It doesn't matter what you want to do right now. 

Your name is Jade Harley, and you're having an anxiety attack.

* * *

Lord English: YOU ARE ALL CHEATING. THIS IS BULLSHIT.  
Lord English: THIS IS MY FUCKING MOMENT YOU WORMS.  
Lord English: THE END OF EVERYTHING. THE END OF YOU.  
Lord English: YOU HAVE COLLECTIVELY RUN FROM ME THROUGH FOUR UNIVERSES AND A THOUSAND THOUSAND YEARS.  
Lord English: I AM INFINITE. I AM ETERNAL. I AM INEVITABLE. I AM ALREADY  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  i would purrfur if you stayed silent!

And that's when it, whatever it was, happens. In a flash of conveniently blinding light, Lord English is no more. You expect a cheer to break out among the survivors, but it all seems just a little... sad. A lot of ghosts had to double-die for this to happen. But also something like this has already happened, kinda, in a... alternate canon? You guess? June could explain all this stuff way better than you ever could. The sadness of this moment is more than a little undercut by extenuating circumstances for you, is what you mean. So you decide to let out a woo.

Jade: woo! 

A few separate woos get wooed back.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  so what do we do next?  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  i can already tell that now's june and the rest of our earth c team have moved on  
Jade: i think its fairly obvious what we do next!! we go to earth c too  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  jade, we cant just open that door again!  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  the prize has already been claimed  
Jade: you know as well as i do that magic sburb doors arent the only way to other universes!!!  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  yeah but

Davepeta *snkit*s a singular claw upwards, and you follow their flashing neon orange and green talon to the black hole currently eating the Green Sun.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  phenomeownal inter-cosmic power isnt really an option fur us like last time B//  
Jade: i can feel that power draining from me, you know  
Jade: you don't have to spritesplain to me about how black holes interact with green suns  
Jade: if you have any ideas of how we get to earth c just in the nick of time now would be the time to tell me

How the hell ARE you supposed to get back without the Green Sun's infinite power? Let's think. We don't have any fenestrated walls to Earth C. Does the Alpha session have Exiles? Maybe then we could—nope. You compared notes with Jake and Roxy forever ago. You puzzle over this solution for hours. Everyone has left by now, moved on with their lives, un-so or otherwise. You pace, looking at the cracks in paradox space. There's got to be a way to do the thing you want. There just has to be. But how...? Okay Jade. Take it from the top. Paradox space. An infinite expanse of capital-S Space and capital-T Time that get more and more nonsense the farther you go and the longer you stay, respectively. What if you could do one without the other? Nah. That's just silly.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  hey jade   
Jade: yes? do you have an idea?  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  what if you could travel through the capital-s space nonsense of the furthest ring without the nonsense of capital-t time  
Jade: i was just thinking about that!!!! :o  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  have you ever s33n that video where that guy talks about how he beat a supurr mario 64 level in one half of the purress of the a button  
Jade: what are you even talking about????  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  right that happened in the alpha universe  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  so, this guy was fed up with all the comments on his videos so he explained exactly what he meant by half an a purress  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  what he means by thiss is that he started with the a button already purressed when he started the level  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  and then tricked the game into doing what he wanted it to do  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  as it turns out playing a platformer without jumping is quite pawful  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  but it can be done!!! B33  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  and he explains the whole pawcess that he uses to get the star  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  and it's very complicated and requires very precise understanding of how supurr mario ticks  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  all it takes is building up speed  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  a lot of it  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  for twelve hours  
Jade: twelve hours??  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  so i'm thinking  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  what if the green sun just amplified your capital-s space powers beyond imagination  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  what if that was just a shortcut  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  what if we could get you back to that level beyond imagination  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  and...  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  what if we could do this ourselves?? B33  
Jade: that sounds excellent davepeta!!!!  
Jade: we should start right away!!!! :)  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  whoa now  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  i know youre excited  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  but furst...  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  we have to talk about purrallel unifurses >B33 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the video that Davepeta is talking about is [totally real](https://youtu.be/kpk2tdsPh0A) and definitely worth your time.


	2. Acts of Relative Size, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're right. This is just shameless arajade content. That's what this fic is all about.
> 
> There are 2 lines where Aradia accidentally deadnames June. It is censored.

Hurtling through paradox space isn't something you'll ever get used to, you think to yourself. Shadows of impossible somethings pass by you, darker than the lightless nothing of the Furthest Ring, their shapes and sizes distorted by your absolute speed. The good news is that a very tiny, very cute Davepetasprite can fit in your pocket. You only need to build up speed for one. The better news is that the cosmic speed limit is fake as shit. This means that all your momentum isn't wasted as you sail through the Furthest Ring impossibly, stupidly, ludicrously fast. The bad news is that going straight, that is, by the standards of the Furthest Ring, is incredibly difficult, and requires all your concentration. So don’t get distracted, lest our vector change, you remind yourself. Vectors, as you know, require an unchanging magnitude, which is a fancy way of saying “length,” and a direction. You have discussed with Davepeta before you took off that even a degree of change will greatly alter our destination. That would be, charitably speaking, what we call in the business “no bueno.” The worse news is that you have no idea how exactly to get to Earth C specifically, and with an infinite multiverse to sift through, even if you FIND one, it'd be a stretch to assume that it'd be your Earth C. With your prize, your team, your sister, and your friends, up to and begrudgingly including Dirk, you guess. You think that if not you, someone could reach him, one day, if he ever cared to listen to someone that wasn’t himself. He’s just so frustrating with that way he makes everything about him and about what he feels. Like nobody else matters to him. Okay, that’s a bit harsh. You didn’t mean that. Gosh would you like that edgy nerd to get some therapy. It’s just tiring listening to him drone on about his dumb Wikipedia philosophy degree like that makes him better than you.

Wait, what’s that thing? You're no astronomer, but your trajectory looks suspiciously head-on with its current position.

Great, you got distracted thinking about that stupid boy. You must have drifted while you were on your tangent. Now there seems to be something in your way. You wince and turn your attention to the silhouette of tentacles and beaks blocking your path.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  (uh oh)  
Jade: (you think we can slow down enough before we hit it)  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  (not pawsible at this hisstance)

This is gonna suck, isn’t it?

* * *

Jade: (uuugh)  
????: shes waking up!  
Jade: (my heaaad :c)  
????: quit y0ur c0mplaining.  
????: dont be rude sollux we havent seen her in a long time!  
Sollux: she fell fr0m the sky and br0ke 0ur fucking mast. i think i’m justified in my being irked by her just breaking my shit and then passing 0ut with0ut saying s0rry 0r anything.  
????: you can be so insensitive sometimes  
Sollux: i’m insensitive? _i’m_ insensitive?  
Jade: oh gosh can we not do this right now  


Your headache is splitting. You’re thirsty. Very thirsty. You do not need this old married couple bickering over, about, or around your nascently conscious self. 

Sollux: yeah, that's pr0bably for the best. we can argue ab0ut this s0me 0ther time.

You feel like… you're being rocked? Are you on a boat? A boat boat. Not a space boat. Space boats do not rock like this. It’s gentle, and if there wasn’t a pair of people speaking over you, you think you could fall asleep to this. You open your eyes. You seem to be in the captain's quarters of a non-nautically inclined person’s idea of a ship. You see two trolls. One of them is winged, one of them isn’t. One of them is very excited to see you. One of them… isn’t. The one that isn’t slinks out of the room you’re in. 

Aradia: jade!  
Aradia: hows that whole fighting ultimate evil thing going?   
Aradia: how are the rest of the crew? how is jxxx?  


Who? You raise your eyebrow at Aradia. 

Aradia: you know, jxxx? hes got the shaped face glass like you? you two have the same cute front teeth

Oh. Oh, ew. This is gross. Hearing that name again after a while of getting used to the new one is the verbal equivalent of hearing someone dry-heave in the other room. Positively eldritch. She’s been June for… how long? A month since she came out? In that time you simply forgot that June used to be called anything else. Do you… tell Aradia? That’s gotta be like, a big faux pas for trans people, right? What if you explain it badly?

Davepeta floats out of your pocket, and you do them the courtesy of making them full-sized. 

Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  hey aradia!  
Aradia: you are delightfully garish  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  why thank mew  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  that aside the person you’re talking about is clawed june now B33  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  and she really n33ds our help soon  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  from her purrspective  
Aradia: oh i see! my apologies  
Aradia: how wonderful i cant wait to remeet her :D  
Aradia: so what are you doing out here?  
Jade: we have to go the long way to earth c  
Jade: im using a quirk of how paradox space functions to skip through the furthest ring into parallel universes  
Aradia: nice  
Jade: and i think i hit something on my way somewhere and then i blacked out and now im here!  
Aradia: interesting  
Aradia: the green suns black hole spit us out here about ten years ago  
Aradia: since then we’ve been pirates  
Aradia: its a fun gig to be honest and if you take stuff from rich people its ethically justified  
Aradia: now im not one to believe in fate  
Aradia: but perhaps it is more than mere coincidence that you ended up here  
Aradia: anyway we have submitted to inspection now that a very bright orange and green thing hit our ship last night  
Aradia: if anyone asks  
Aradia: and nobodys going to ask  
Aradia: but if they do, you were on the crew since sollux and i commandeered the vessel  
Jade: you got it! should i get a pirate name too?  
Aradia: you dont need anything like  


A loud rapping on the door interrupts her sentence. 

????: By the power invested in me by the port authority, I ask that you open this door! Aradia: right away!

With a look and a nod to your companion, you shrink Davepeta back down to kitten size and put them back in your pocket. Aradia opens the door, and a creature you’ve never seen before comes through the door. They’re purple, first of all, and have long arms with what seem to be suction pods at what you would understand to be their palm. Their torso ends in a gastropod-like lower body. They’re holding a mighty official-looking badge. Officer Glorbus. Huh. 

Aradia: as you can see your noodly appendage there is nothing of note here  
Glorbus: I’ll be the judge of that, pirate.  
Sollux: privateer! i keep telling y0u pe0ple we’re privateers.  
Glorbus: You, with the tail, identify yourself.  


You freeze. You haven’t thought of a cool enough pirate name! Oh jeez, you’ll have to wing it. 

Jade: my name 

You look past the officer to Aradia. She gives you an encouraging nod. 

Jade: is silver  
Glorbus: Silver?  
Jade: ...bark  
Jade: no surname  
Jade: no id either :/  
Jade: sorry officer  
Glorbus: You mean to tell me that your Plobb given name is Silverbark. No surname.  
Jade: yeeeeeees :X  


You commit perjury. You know, like a liar. But hey! Silverbark is the coolest name you could have thought of. 

Glorbus:  
Jade:  
Aradia:   
Sollux:   
Glorbus: I see. Well, Silverbark, I’ll be on my way. Thank you for your time.  


Officer Glorbus slides like a slug out of the door, leaving a trail of actual literal slime. There is a tension in the air before Aradia leans out of a window to ensure that they are no longer in earshot. 

Aradia: arent cops just the worst  
Aradia: anyway silverbark  
Aradia: hows about you help an old friend out with an expedition   
Jade: i would love to!

Sollux comes back in, getting his shoe in Glorbus’ slime trail. The squish of rubber on slime makes him scrunch up his nose in disgust. He shakes his foot onto the deck and calls out from the doorway. 

Sollux: hey, shipmate! swab this up.  
Aradia: sollux we talked about this  
Sollux: shipmate swab this up...  
Sollux: please.  


A carapacian crew member comes in with a mop. This captain’s quarters is getting pretty crowded.

Aradia: thank you  
Sollux: y0ure welc0me. n0w, what d0 we d0 ab0ut the wh0le mast thing?  
Aradia: with silverbark here thats play for grubs  
Aradia: we can apply capital-s space and capital-t time upon it  


You and Aradia step out on deck. A purple sky looms above you as the sun sets. You turn your attention to the mast. Or rather, the stump of a mast. There are splinters all over the deck. The sails remain unfurled and are resting on the bowsprit. Yep, that’s busted. You really beefed it here. Oh well. You extend your palm to the mast-stump and begin to Space the fuck out of it. The splinters rise off the deck slowly, then you bring them close to the stump. Aradia raises her hand to the stump as well and the two of you perform

# FRAYMOTIF: JADE + ARADIA =  
「REVERSE ACCELERANDO」

Oh yeah. It’s all coming together. Literally. Splinters seem to stick to the stump with a faux-magnetic vigor to it. Eventually you can’t even tell there were splinters. Then the mast rises into the air and comes to rest atop the mast-stump, fusing with it. As if it had always been there. As if nothing had happened at all. That idea kinda makes you sad, in a way. A sort of undoing of your impact upon the ship. You sigh. 

Jade: sigh  
Aradia: something wrong?  
Jade: nah im fine  
Jade: whats this expedition  
Aradia: were just looking for gems and stuff  
Aradia: we think that the motherlode of all gem shaped treasures exists here  
Aradia: so were going to go and look for it  
Aradia: do you two want in?

Davepeta floats out of your pocket. Fuck yes, you want in! Helping is your middle name. Jade Helping Harley. That’s you. 

Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  nyeah that sounds like fun  
Jade: yeah im still down!  
Jade: where can we get a drink around here   
Jade: im suuuuper thirsty :p  
Aradia: I know a place 0u0


	3. Acts of Relative Size, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aradia knows a place Jade can get a drink. Jade updates them on the story up to this part. They mean to discuss the expedition, but something gets in the way.

Aradia: i see  
Aradia: so this friend of yours  
Aradia: dirk needs to be stopped and you want to erase him completely  
Jade: no! i don’t want to erase anyone in any amount of completeness  
Aradia: oh  
Sollux: werent y0u listening?  
Sollux: it’s 0bvi0us that this piece 0f w0rk needs t0 engage his th0ught slime and get 0ver himself.  
Sollux: this n0ti0n 0f n0ncan0nicity d0esnt s0und as terrible as he's making it 0ut t0 be.  
Sollux: every g00d st0ry has an ending.  
Jade: youre right sollux  
Jade: but  
Jade: i kinda  
Jade: understand what he’s saying?  
Jade: and in some ways dirk might be right?  
Jade: i know im certainly attached to the idea of being alive  
Jade: and i guess that goes hand in hand with being afraid of nonexistence  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  furrends  
Aradia: what  
Sollux: what?  
Jade: yes?  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  the order  


The Verbing Fauna, at the corner of Flurb and Fldun. Aradia’s “place.” Not in that it’s hers, but it’s the place Aradia “knows.” It is like every tavern you have ever thought to conceive in your mind. Perfectly average, aside from the “no humanoids aside from you four” thing. Though, that makes it normal, when you stop to think about it. Normality is a silly joke wholly unenforced by the abdicated thrones of the forces that govern the multiverse. You chuckle to yourself at the absurdity of it all, a human, sitting in this booth with two aliens you’ve met once or twice before this, and your friend, who is permanently fused with their friend. This is what normal is, you think. Getting something to drink with people you can at the very least stand. Not the start of that whole thing. Just the drinks part. The server, an orangish brown gastropod person, like Officer Glorbus, gives an appreciative but awkward smile as they are brought into narrative view.

Aradia: yes of course  
Aradia: i would rather enjoy water  
Jade: me too!  
Sollux: i’m fine tulveeb.  
Tulveeb: Right away, cap’ns! :D  


Tulveeb scoots on over behind the counter.  


Jade: so… about your ship  
Aradia: the _corpse party_   
Jade: the what?  
Aradia: the wpsv _corpse party_  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  the name of the ship is the _corpse party_  
Aradia: yes we had a vote amongst the crew  
Aradia: that was the one that won out  
Sollux: i d0nt know i really liked my suggesti0n  


Tulveeb comes back with frozen iron flagons full of water, then tends to the other tables around the group. 

Jade: so about the corpse party  
Aradia: no the _corpse party_  
Jade: so about the _corpse party_  


This is ridiculous. She is saying it the same way you are.  


Jade: how did you get it?  
Aradia: well if you really want to know  
Aradia: we have  
Aradia: appropriated the _corpse party_  
Aradia: from someone  
Aradia: that didnt realize what they had  
Aradia: so we uh  
Sollux: we st0le it fr0m s0me assh0le and made it 0ur fl0ating sea c0llective.  
Sollux: y0u kn0w what sucks ab0ut being l0wbl00ds back h0me?  
Jade: n  
Sollux: everything. but we d0n’t need t0 bring 0ur shitty s0ciety with us. the crew d0esn’t need that shit.  
Aradia: the _corpse party_ is our opportunity to provide for others what we didnt get to have  


You feel like you understand what they’re saying. They’re making their own Earth C, in a way. Alternia C? That makes it sound bad. Be…forus… C? They don’t even know what Beforus was like. You mean, neither do you, but… gosh this sure is confusing! You raise the flagon to your mouth, the chill of the iron sharp on your lip. The water is the freshest you have ever had the pleasure of consuming. It feels like silk flowing onto your tongue. There is a certain something to it. Despite having nothing in it, it tastes better than most water you’ve had in your life. Maybe it’s because the gastropod people need the water to be this fresh. Anyway. This headache of yours has dulled to a periodic throb. It sucks, but it’s manageable now. That’s when you notice the mean-muggers walking in. Humans and trolls. You start to get the feeling that this world is trying its best to subvert your expectations specifically. Pseudonarrative dissonance aside, there are five of them, three human, two trolls. Both trolls don’t have horns, or rather, their horns were sanded down. One troll has a green pin on their lapel, the other, an orange pin. All of them seem to have a thing for the color black, and all of them look pretty tough in that biker gear they have on. They take a seat close to the door. As Tulveeb takes their order, Aradia rolls her eyes and starts muttering something to Sollux.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  those guys dont look so ch33rful  
Aradia: theyre here for us  


Sollux sharply exhales. It seems that he is more annoyed by this than anything. You all speak in hushed tones.  


Sollux: the h0rnless are here, huh? h0w many  
Aradia: five  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  hey uh  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  i f33l someone outside  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  like right at the door  
Aradia: so six maybe  
Sollux: alright. d0n’t freak 0ut, n0b0dy get up. we d0n’t want t0 start shit.  
Jade: hornless?  
Sollux: rival crew. their captain bluebeard is s0me s0rt 0f bastard. i've never met them and i really d0nt want t0.  
Sollux: they're bad news and wellvbb will have have my head if we get int0 a tussle in their bar  
Jade: so what do we do  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  we could telepurrt to the _corpse pawrty_ with your space powers  
Sollux: we can’t c0nfirm if they’re at the _c0rpse party_ th0ugh  


Your dog ears flatten. You can feel the hair on the back of your neck rise up. Aradia smiles at you. You know this smile. It’s that smile that people give you when they’re about to say that you look cute.  


Aradia: awwww so cute 0u0  
Jade: thank you but nows not the time!  
Aradia: wait i got it  
Sollux: what is it captain  
Aradia: were gods  
Sollux: if y0u want t0 sh0w 0ff fine by me. It’s n0t like they can ask me what happened.  
Aradia: thats okay  
Jade: do you want me to come with for like solidarity or something  
Aradia: nah i think i got it  


Aradia scoots out of the booth. When she comes to her feet, the Hornless stop their chat and look at her. The green-pinned one opens their mouth to speak.  


????: Ho there, capta¡n  
Aradia: eertex  
Aradia: a pleasure  


Oh, so Aradia knows these people?  


Eertex: You’re a hard tro!! to f¡nd, you know that  
Aradia: and id prefer to keep it that way  


Eertex laughs. But not the kind of laugh between friends. 

Eertex: That !ast stunt you pu!!ed was pretty sweet, ¡’ll g¡ve you that  
Eertex: But B!uebeard is getting t¡red of wa¡t¡ng on your response, so they sent us to ask you persona!!y  
Aradia: bluebeard sends thugs like yall to represent them  
Eertex: Now now, there’s no need for that sorta !oaded !anguage  
Eertex: We’re p¡rates, same as a!! of you on the _Corpse Party_  
Eertex: And ¡f you’re not p!ann¡ng answer¡ng us here, we w¡!! have to escort you to the _¡ronc!ad_  


The four others get up, and Aradia’s wings flutter as the four of them rise, then take slow steps toward Aradia. Before they can reach her, they are stopped completely. She steps toward the group, who do not react, passing by them to get in Eertex’s face. 

Aradia: eertex  
Aradia: let me be completely clear with you  
Aradia: i was hoping that bluebeard would get the hint  
Aradia: i am entirely turned off by the idea of joining forces with your captain  
Aradia: so with that in mind  
Aradia: heres my answer  
Aradia: eat  


She leans in, uncomfortably close to the oliveblood. Aradia presses her cartilage nub against Eertex, who is unperturbed by the situation. She is pissed. You mean, steamed. Upset. Angry. You don't know why you thought that. You should watch your language.  


Aradia: sh*t  


How did she do that with her mouth? Aradia lets go of the spell she put on the four mooks, with a dying *bvvvvvm*. Or… did _she_ do that? She turns to face them, puzzled. These four are not impressed, and Sollux jumps into action, psionically grabbing a kitchen knife and waving it around in front of him.  


Sollux: alright f*ckers.  
Sollux: back the f*ck up.  
Eertex: ¡’m sorry, capta¡n Arad¡a  
Eertex: That ¡s the wrong answer  


Sollux’s knife points in Eertex’s direction. 

Sollux: and we d0n’t care if it is 0r n0t, we’re leaving.  
Sollux: and if it’s with y0ur bl00d ruining this fl00r, that’s h0w it has t0 be.  
Tulveeb: Whoa now, Sollux, let’s not—  


The light in the room dims. Then, nothing. You see nothing. You cannot narrate what is happening, because you cannot see it.  


Tulveeb: Are the lights on the fritz again D:  
Eertex: Here they are  
Eertex: ¡ warned you about anger¡ng them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Aradia calls Jade cute one more time I may have to put slow burn in the tags
> 
> So gang, who is this myyyyyyyysterious captain? Lemme know what you think
> 
> By the way, a WPSV is a **W**ind **P**owered **S**ea **V**essel


	4. Acts of Relative Size, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bluebeard reveals himself. We talk about feelings. A plan is formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A specific character speaks about a woman in our story as a "prize." This may be upsetting to some people.

You walk in through the door at your subordinate’s cue. Eerte% is everything someone of your sanguineous stature would want in a first mate. STRONG, first of all, though he could never beat you in a test of raw physical skill. Of a lesser class, with your cool b100 b100d tempering the blade of his olive passion. His skills and ability to understand you and your superiority over him reminds you… of… someone.  Who it is is not important, and you will do well to probe me no further on the subject.

Did that give you a shock?

Yes, I can indeed hear your words. They drip from on high like a divinely ordained rain, your primitive phonemes colliding with the surface of my mind. Since I made my ascension, I have been privy to your degenerate impulses. Your forceful “suggestions,” ruining the things I cared about most. Disgusted with you, I then recused myself from what-has-to-be, to venture into the what-could-be. Now you follow a mutt to my home. Since you seem bent on trespass, I must defend mine own castle. In the time since our last meeting, I have recently realized that my Nothing can extend into your space. The space between the words you speak into being, and the effects they have here. Where Nothing is, there must I ever be. This gives me a limited, albeit crucial, gap in time where I may adjust your words as I need them to be. For instance, I have the time, and just barely the space to absorb the knife Sollux flings toward me, removing the blade from his telekinetic grasp and placing it outside of the goldblood's range. It goes… somewhere. I do not care to know where the items I make void arrive, and I have no need of this knowledge.

Jade:  holy f*ck how did you do that?  
???: D --> You will watch your language while in my presence

Who in the blazes is this guy? He looks like a tool. One of his horns has broken off, and his other is in an admittedly pretty phallic looking shape. You feel all the hair on your body stand on end, and your tail is tucked in between your legs. He’s obviously some kinda jerk. You look back to check on your new friend. Aradia is doing that clicking thing Karkat does when he’s really upset. The orange-pinned one tries to step toward her, and Sollux telekinetically rests a food tray where his foot would land, causing them to slip. You put your game face on, and start charging up your capital-s Space stuff. Green lightning arcs off of your outfit.

???: D --> Aradia  
???: D --> You are coming with me and that is final  
Jade:  like h*ll she is  
Jade:  with words like that youre cruising for a bruising!

You lower your body, getting ready to jump on this guy. You’re about to give this dweeb what for when Davepeta inserts themselves into the mix, coming between you and this pest. 

Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  jade cut it out

Davepeta has their arms out, getting in your way. You can barely see that creepazoid past their trench coat.

Jade:  whats your deal davepeta!  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  my “deal” is that he hasnt done anything wrong yet jade  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  you have all this pawer and youre just gonna murk the first meowherf*cker you see that poses a threat?  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  it doesnt f33l very cool of you B//  
Jade:  who CARES about ethics right now??  
Jade:  cant you see hes upsetting aradia  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  okay and  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  june upsets you and you still hang out with her  
Jade:  thats TOTALLY different!  
Jade:  and whats come over you all of a sudden  
Jade:  vouching for this doofus that weve just met  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  i  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 <  wait where did he go

That man has disappeared. Behind you, you hear an unnatural noise, and a rush of displaced air. This son of a mare literally just teleported behind you. Then you see him grab...

I take Aradia by the arm and tell her that we are leaving. The idea of being so close to her once again after so long away from my prize makes me perspire. She gives me that scornful 100k, the one that sets my heart pumping most STRONGly, and I feel my face flush b100— oh fiddlesti% i mustnt lose contr

One by one, this weirdo’s fingers let go of Aradia’s forearm, then Sollux mutters something you didn’t quite catch and tackles him, and the two men zap away, along with the rest of the Hornless.

Aradia: oh dear  
Jade:  who was that?  
Aradia: his name is equius  
Aradia: he uh  
Aradia: has a thing for me  
Aradia: a weird and fetishy thing for me  
Jade:  gross  
Aradia: yeah its pretty gross  
Jade:  do you know where sollux went?  
Aradia: i am doubtful equius had something like space in mind when he started to do that  
Aradia: so its most likely that sollux is relatively safe on the _ironclad_  
Aradia: tulveeb are you ok?  
Tulveeb: Y-Yeah! I’m just… kinda shaken. It all happened so fast. I’m gonna call Mr. Wellvbb and tell him what happened.  
Aradia: i think thats for the best  
Aradia: theres not much to do now except board the _corpse party_ and begin searching for bluebeard’s ship.  
Aradia: we cant look for that treasure without him  
Aradia: so  


Aradia’s wings flutter as she begins to float off the ground.

Aradia: just put the stuff the hornless got on solluxs tab  
Tulveeb: You sure he’s gonna be okay with that?  
Aradia: thats my problem not yours

Aradia flies off. You give a sheepish smile and a thumbs-up to Tulveeb before going to the _Corpse Party_ yourself.

* * *

Later that day, below deck aboard the _Corpse Party_, carapacians and trolls flit about, preparing to weigh anchor.

Jade:  so  
Jade:  do you wanna talk about what was going on there davepeta  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i really dont know  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < it was like  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i couldnt bear to see either of you pawsibly hurt one another  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i cant really remember what my  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < our B??  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < no that feels purross  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < my connection is to this equius  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < my  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < nepetas equius was a dear  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < kinda an ass and pretty controlling  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < but i know he was pawfully important to me  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < kinda like how you are to me now  
Jade:  like you dated him?  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < uhhh  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < yeah i think it was like that we were definitely together  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < but not the way that like kanaya and rose are together  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < like i said the way i felt for him was the way i feel about you  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < but uh  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < were not dating  
Jade:  thats not what i meant! dont be so difficult :P  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < anyway  
Jade:  so whats different about this guy and your equius  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < alpha timeline equius never went god tier for one  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i guess there are the consequences for going outside canon we meet weird versions of the people we already know i mean what are the chances that not every doomed self was exactly doomed to die in that universe specifically  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < it makes sense to me that not every doomed version would make it to a dream bubble  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < could you imagine all the weird shit we could see  
Jade:  id rather focus on the weird shit were seeing  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < right

A troll that you’ve never met comes up to you. They wear a white shirt with black canvas overalls that has a rust colored Aries symbol behind a gold Gemini symbol. Kinda like that shirt Sollux is so fond of, but different. 

???: Miss Jade, Cap’n Aradia reques7s yer an’ Davepe7a’s pos7 in the cap’ns quar7ers. Said i7 was 7he mos7 impor7an7.  
Jade:  thanks ill be right there :)

You ascend to the main deck. You check on the mast you broke, and there are still no signs of wear. It seems that your fraymotif really actually did fix it. You enter the captain’s quarters after getting a little distracted exchanging greetings with the crew. Inside, Aradia stares at the cieling on her bed, and when the hinges creak, she begins to sit upright. She’s… well you wouldn’t say she’s upset, but she’s clearly worried about Sollux. 

Jade:  you wanted to see me?  
Aradia: yeah its the most important  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < you want us to find the _ironclad_  
Aradia: well when you put it like that you make it sound like im making you do it  
Aradia: when i was prepared to offer a portion of my cut of our precious booty for finding sollux  
Jade:  i like the sound of that hehe  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < hey aradia let me ask you somethin  
Aradia: what is it friend  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < well i have two questions and you already said yes so no takebacksies here goes  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < furst do you know how equius slash bluebeard knew where you were  
Aradia: his vessel has hailed mine on a few occasions but this is not his home port  
Aradia: how he knew i was going to be away and vulnerable on this day for a spur-of-the-moment decision is beyond me and i suspect trickery to be afoot  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < second, do you know why i couldnt step in  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < you have that spurrite stuff in you too  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < well youre not a spurrite anymore  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < but i remember you prototyping yourself  
Aradia: first i want you to know that i do not blame you for your inaction  
Aradia: second i believe you already know the answer  
Aradia: you are a sprite of course you are naturally predisposed in thinking of things in ways that would necessarily benefit the players of sgrub  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < sburb  
Aradia: i said what i said  
Aradia: but to maximize the chances of success you have an urge to keep players from engaging in strife while you are around  
Aradia: i am familiar with this urge  
Aradia: it can be  
Aradia: suppressed if its necessary  
Aradia: but im not going to make you fight your ex davepeta  
Aradia: is equius your ex?  
Aradia: im just going to definitively say that you inherit all those relationships and no one can correct me  
Aradia: though if you want to you can  
Aradia: fight him i mean  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i dunno if i’m comfortable with that yet but we need to find sollux  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i have time to listen to my heart and ponder the question  
Jade:  ok if its question time with aradia i would like a turn  


Aradia looks out of the window to the setting sun. You feel like this is the first time in a long time that a sunset has gone unappreciated by her. A part of the pair is missing.

Aradia: well we do have the time for one more question, it will be a little bit before we can look for the _ironclad_  
Jade:  so uh  
Jade:  i kinda  
Jade:  you know that question is a little personal nevermind  
Aradia: you intend to ask about my relationship with sollux  


She read you perfectly. 

Jade:  yeah  
Aradia: hmm  
Aradia: what sollux and I have is  
Aradia: complex is a good word for it  
Aradia: in a weird way i know him too well to be infatuated with him  


You look at Davepeta, who you think looks back at you. You know what that’s like.  


Aradia: but i do love him truly  
Aradia: at the same time i know he loves me  
Aradia: but weve talked about it  
Aradia: and he doesnt want or need to settle down with someone is how he put it  
Aradia: he isnt interested in me or anyone else romantically concupescient or otherwise  
Aradia: “what i l0ve is being here with y0u.”  
Aradia: “i d0n't need anything else.”  
Aradia: “all i need is to be with y0u, 0n this ship. n0thing m0re, n0thing less.”  
Aradia: and now  
Aradia: he isn’t  


Aradia looks from you back to the sunset, and you hear a sniffle break the tense silence that follows. She’s trying to stay calm. Trying. You take a step forward and she holds a hand up to stop you, wiping a rusty tear from her eye. 

Aradia: im ok  
Aradia: im just upset that equius came back to try and ruin my ending again  
Aradia: i will be fine  
Aradia: you both need rest  
Aradia: i have a feeling its going to be a long day tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very sorry for the wait. The holidays are here where I live and I got swept up in other things in the communities I'm in. I hope that I will have time and energy to write more of this, but I make no promises.
> 
> Anyway, aro sollux.
> 
> EDIT 12/21/2019 9:15 PM: AAAAAAAA IT'S BEEN SO LONG I FUCKING **FORGOT** THAT ARADIA DOESN'T SPEAK WITH ZEROES AFTER SHE GTS HOW DID I MISS THIS
> 
> EDIT 12/21/2019 9:23 PM: i fixed it sorry about that


	5. Acts of Relative Size, Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conflict is resolved. A new one takes its place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the concept of torture is discussed in the first part of this chapter.

Jegus, has it been a long day. Day? Days? Weeks? You cannot remember. Time is fake. Your time blindness, you think, probably has something to do with Equius’ new pyjamas. Felt like they were made out of the same cloth as Aradia’s when you grabbed him. You’re pretty sure he was in the middle of something, and then it sounded like you went somewhere else. You would then learn that you were on the _ Ironclad _ through some clever weaseling around some, uh, _ intense _ questions that Eertex and someone else had. From your assessment of things, they broke some of your ribs, but there are more important things to think about while they’re using you as their ship’s power source to conserve this planet’s valuable fuel.

You think you get it now. 

It’s all a joke, this thing called life. Like, the kind of irony that someone who doesn’t know what irony is would think irony is. That’s the kind of joke life is. You get tricked into feeling good, but it’s always just prelude to stupid fucking bullshit. Setup, punchline. The universe is a terrible comedian. It’s just been nothing but rotten luck since you found out about that treasure. First, a squeaky girl that always smells faintly of wet woofbeast and her fucking sidekick show up, break shit, get the slug-fuzz on your ass, then Equius shows up for no reason, and your day gets ruined, thanks to the whole "ordering you be tortured for the location of your sweet booty” shit. You didn’t give it up, of course, because fuck those guys, but you were running out of ribs to have broken. Into the engine room you went. Reminds you of a story you heard a long time ago, about a mustard-blooded pilot. You think it was Feferi who told you that story, though you never believed it. Nobles and their genealmythology. You cannot help but let a single chuckle escape from your chest before you remember that hey, your ribs are broken, and wow does laughing hurt. 

Alas, this train of thought could continue, but words are precious, even on an infinite amount of pages, and there is no time to dally. Dozens, but not hundreds of miles away, a Witch and an Heir are locked in bloody combat.

* * *

Equius: D --> You do not understand  
Equius: D --> It is absolutely crucial that you listen to me  
Jade:  where are you keeping the _ ironclad _

On a rocky outcropping above the ocean, on an island in the middle of nowhere, two gods have solved their differences in the only way gods can. It is the nature of things. The Witch gestures with her rifle, as if jamming the barrel closer to the Heir’s face will make it more threatening. It does not. He has already lost.

Equius: D --> I have read something you would find of interest  
Equius: D --> If you would be so gracious to give me time to explain I  
Jade:  quit! stalling!

There is a sick grin on his face. You believe that his defeat has endowed upon him a certain amount of disgusting pleasure. As he sweats and wipes the blood from his lip, you notice him clutching a white book. It is clear that you have him at your mercy. And that mercy is getting rarer by the second.

Jade:  where is sollux  
Jade:  this is the last time im asking  
Equius: D --> You do not possess what is necessary to take my life  
Equius: D --> It is as written in this tome

What? What is Equius talking about? That was never in the book. Of course Silverbark can kill him! I did not wri

I wheeze as a laugh erupts from my chest. My vision fails me, as shades of this woman standing above me split and split once more, and I raise the foul thing to her. She raises the long end of her metal bow to the sky. Despite the metal bow no longer being pointed at my head, I feel the Nothing approach. It will soon subsume my body and my consciousness. I will become Nothing, and It will become me. Perhaps this was always the end. she takes it and

Don’t.

the woman places her eyes on the accursed book’s name, and she takes a sharp breath as i close my eyes, satisfied with my act of defiance

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


#  UNIVERSE LEAPFROG, AN INFINITELY INCOMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF THE ADVENTURES OF SILVERBARK HARLEY THE WORLDWALKER  AND HER TRUSTY SIDEKICK, DAVEPETASPRITE

Jade:  what is this??

Fuck you. Equius’ heart beats its last, and you know it is Just. 

This fucking sucks. This was going to be the climax after hundreds of thousands of words. This is like if your friends pretended to forget about your birthday for twenty years to give you the surprise party of a lifetime, and in that time they forgot that you were deathly afraid of balloons, and you walk into your one-bedroom apartment to a chorus of popping and shouting adults, except Kevin just blew the plan a week in. Laid out right here, in the first arc. Despite this, the story need not grind to this screeching halt. 

You try to open the book, but it will not budge. Even with all of your strength, physical and supernatural, even with the full extent of your capital-S Space powers, this book, _ Universe Leapfrog, An Infinitely Incomplete Anthology of the Adventures of Silverbark Harley the Worldwalker and Her Trusty Sidekick, Davepetasprite _, will not open. In fact, you don’t even want to keep this book. Who cares? You just set it by Equius' corpse and… Why not?

_ You just set it by Equius' corpse and… _

Right. Can't make you do anything that would be considered "out of character." There’s no way that you could just ignore this. A book, and much less a book about… you? Of _ course _ you’re going to keep it. Most people would.

You shrink down the book, which you are calling UniLeap for short, because _ Universe Leapfrog, An Infinitely Incomplete Anthology of the Adventures of Silverbark Harley the Worldwalker and Her Trusty Sidekick, Davepetasprite _ is too long, and put it in your pocket.

You take a moment to bury him. Digging a grave is unsettlingly easy when you can just move anything you want with your god powers. You leave a slab of rock where his head would be. On the horizon, a green-and-orange flashing streak flies to you. You wonder what you’re going to tell them.

Jade:  davepeta!!  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < jade  
Jade:  i found equius  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < is that  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < him  
Jade:  yeah :(

Davepeta takes a moment to stare at the grave. One moment becomes two, two becomes three. You sit on the ground, your feet swinging lazily over the edge as the waves crash against the rock. This adventure sucks. You want to go home. But you promised Aradia that you’d help her and Sollux find that thing. About half an hour passes, when Davepeta joins you.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 < did he hurt you  
Jade:  well yeah  
Jade:  but its nothing that i cant shake off  
Jade:  you should know i didnt kill him though  
Jade:  i got equius good but i wouldnt call him mortally wounded  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < what do you mean  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < people do not just drop dead jade  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < you think meowtherfuckers are just popping off with big boy wizard spells  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i cast pawer word kill   
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < the dungeon meowster of our lives desperately checking how to get out of the immediate, no take backsies death of their big bad evildoer   
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < sorry  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < did we find out where sollux is or could be  
Jade:  he didnt say anything about the _ ironclad _  
Jade:  what he did talk about was really weird  
Jade:  like he was worried about me or something  
Jade:  i guess not worried but like  
Jade:  like he wanted to warn me  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < about what  
Jade:  a book  


You show Davepeta the cover of UniLeap. Their reaction is almost the same as yours.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 < huh  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < this is

Davepeta touches the book.

# FRAYMOTIF: DAVEPETASPRITE^2 (KNIGHT OF TIME) + DAVEPETASPRITE^2 (ROGUE OF HEART) =  
「HISTORY, IN PRESTISSIMO」 

It isn't exactly clear what they are doing, but pink gears surround the book, then red threads attach the gears to it. The gears begin to rotate incredibly fast, as Davepeta concentrates. After about ten seconds of this procession, the gears and threads fade away.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 < ha ha ha ha  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < fuck that  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < jade we need to get rid of it  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < absolutely nobody should have this  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < you know what  


Davepeta throws the book into the ocean, and UniLeap makes this very satisfying _ kerploosh _ sound as it hits the surface of the water.

Jade:  davepeta what the hell  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < just furget about it  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < that thing purreeped me the fuck out  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < it might be better if you dont know  
Jade:  i guess

You huff and look to the ground, where a  
  


White book…  
  


With green text on its cover… rests, face up.

It reads: _ Universe Leapfrog, An Infinitely Incomplete Anthology of the Adventures of Silverbark Harley the Worldwalker and Her Trusty Sidekick, Davepetasprite. _

Jade:  :D  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < B||

Scooping the book up, you still can’t open it, which is a bit of a bummer. It isn’t even wet!

Davepetasprite^2: B33 < ok  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < heres what i know about it  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < its bad mews  
Jade:  >:|  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < alright that was a bad joke  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < its something thats been around forever  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < thats an eduCATed guess because this things history has no clear origin  
Jade:  how do you know that? :o  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i did some knightrogue of hearttime stuff to it to track its position in this universes timeline  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < fat lot of good that did!  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < its existence is self-perpetuating and that is that  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < that is to say, that it existing will somehow lead to the creation of the object itself, and it will eventually make a journey to the beginning of its relevance to be present for the events necessary to get to the part where it makes itself  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < i know that doesnt really make any sense but trust me explaining the exact mechanism by which it does this is just going to be too much work  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < you know what, it just works  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < we will just have to agree that the mechanism is “it just works”  
Jade:  sure but do you know anything about its contents  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < no  
Jade:  well do you want to read it because i cant get it to open  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < eh fine 

You do them the favor of making the book regular-sized, and they have no issue opening UniLeap. You watch Davepeta skim through the text, flip through some pages, and then closes the book with an aura of clear concern.

Davepetasprite^2: B33 < hey jade  
Jade:  yeah?  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < what did we do before the ghost army stuff and beating lord english, do you remember  
Jade:  i   
Jade:  we had a conversation with june? that feels so long ago  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < and how did you feel then  
Jade:  a little anxious to be honest  
Jade:  i was understandably a little jittery between having to leave june behind seeing you again and fighting le  
Jade:  why do you ask  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < because uh, take a look at this

You read the passage, and it is as follows:

Jade:  oh jeez we really are just like RIGHT there huh  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < what are you talking about we have to go now  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < oh  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < jade? you're uh, hyperventilating  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < you okay there? is everythin  
Jade:  yeah no davepeta!!!! everything is hunky dory!!!!! it's not like we don't have just the one chance to do it right or anything yep no

When did your blood get so cold? You know that June needs you now, right? No matter how much air you suck in, it seems like it's not enough. You thought yourself over this. Just. C'mon. You're Silverbark! The Worldwalker! Doesn't that mean anything to you? What happened to the badass entrance you were gonna have? Rocketing in, surprising everyone right at the last second? Ring any bells? Where's that Harley adventurer's spirit when you need it? Wait. No. It's okay to be afraid here. Anyone would be. June would be, definitely. You'll permit it to pass over you and through you. Breathe, Silverbark. In through the nose, seven seconds. Out through the mouth in three. You close your eyes. June needs you now, but you need you now too. It doesn't matter what you want to do right now. 

Your name is Jade Harley, and you're having an anxiety attack.

Uh.

What? Why is someone writing about you like this? You don’t remember doing this! What ** _is_ ** this book?

Davepetasprite^2: B33 < hey jade  
Davepetasprite^2: B33 < do you have a pen on you  
Jade:  always  


You give them a pen. Orange, obviously. Davepeta goes maybe 30 pages past were they showed you and

yo whats up

mic check one two, can you read this

Oh shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh jeez, we're doing this.
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience. I hope this chapter finds you well. 
> 
> After the feels-bad of the last chapter, I thought it'd be nice to see some progression in the overall story I wanted to tell.
> 
> Shoutout to the 48 line breaks necessary to make a blank space that large.
> 
> I hope to see you next time.


End file.
